


She first spotted him in Malachite and Vases

by Annariel



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 10:06:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2647994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annariel/pseuds/Annariel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River Song chances upon the First Doctor at the Great Exhibition of 1851</p>
            </blockquote>





	She first spotted him in Malachite and Vases

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Starjargon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starjargon/gifts).



> I took your prompt "Or what if a 3rd incarnation River tried to get 1st incarnation Doctor to understand he's not invincible, when he's never before experienced death? " as my starting prompt but somehow couldn't quite get them to have that conversation. I think River was too shy of spoilers.

The building was made of millions of panes of glass. Each one was made by the Chance Brothers of Birmingham and they showered light down on the exhibits below. The old man chuckled in delight as he moved among the exhibits, admiring not only the works of art, textiles and machines but also the ingenuity of the building's design; the louvred panes in the roof and the grids in the floor that encouraged air to circulate; the repeating modules that made up the whole and the marriage of mass production, craft and artistry.

As he moved along peering at one thing or another he muttered about history or exclaimed in delight at the novel and ingenious. The woman had been following him for a while, a strangely indulgent expression on her face. Although she glanced at the exhibits her eyes were more frequently upon the man and the tip of her umbrella tapped distractedly on the wooden floor as she dodged in and out of the Sunday crowd. Her dress was a deep dark red and abundant straw coloured curls were piled up on top of her head under a small black hat placed at an angle which was not quite coquettish, but not quite respectable either. She had dressed to be seen rather than to be discreet.

Then, without warning, she lost him. Standing quietly still, she turned swiftly on the spot, red satin skirts sweeping across the floor. The umbrella lifted until it came to rest across her shoulder.

"And why are you following me, hmmm?"

She didn't jump or start at the voice in her ear. She simply smiled, enigmatic and enticing.

"What makes you think I was following you?"

"Come, come now, you've been on my tail since Furniture and Carpets and we are now in the Medieval Court."

Her smile dimpled ever so slightly. "Actually I picked you up in Malachite and Vases, but I'll allow you the lapse. There were a lot of people."

"Well, do you have an explanation for yourself?"

"Oh Doctor! Explanations are so dull. I think, instead, we should enjoy the exhibition together."

He made a humphing sound and drew himself up straight, but she tucked one hand into the crook of his arm and threw him a coquettish smile. 

"Come on Doctor, lecture me about Pugin's influence on Victorian style... and isn't this stove perfectly hideous."

The Doctor regarded her closely for a few seconds and then relented. Her smile became wide and genuine and he smiled back, charmed in spite of himself. "It is somewhat gaudy. May I at least have the pleasure of your name, you would seem to have the advantage of me."

"River Song, Doctor, River Song. Shall we continue?"

* * *

"Now I see why you're here Doctor." River indulged in a playful smile as her eyes ran over the baroque twists and turns of the device in front of them.

"Good gracious me! What is an Armelian Neutron Manipulator doing here? This won't do at all! No! No! Not at all."

River squeezed the Doctor's arm. "As if you didn't know it was here all the time."

"Really, young lady, I don't know who you take me for, but I assure you that this is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you."

River leaned back so she could stare properly at him. She was taken by the way his head leaned back, stiff and indignant so he could peer down his nose at her.

"You know, I believe you really did have no idea. That's... unexpected and really rather charming."

The Doctor blinked and unbent ever so slightly. "Young lady, I detect a note of condescension in your voice. I'm not a child, you know."

River's lips twitched as she suppressed the desire to grin more widely. "As I can see," she said.

She received a sharp look for her pains, the Doctor clearly suspecting that she was making fun of him.

"So?" she asked, waving her umbrella in the direction of the Neutron Manipulator in the large glass case. "What are we going to do about that?"

"Do, hmm, well I suppose we should alert the authorities. Yes, yes, I think that is what we should do."

River hung onto his arm as the Doctor started to move. "Do you really think the authorities in this time and place are the best people to look after it?"

The Doctor gazed down his nose at her again but his eyes slipped sideways towards the device on the stand. "It would be very dangerous in the wrong hands."

"Hmm," River nodded, waiting for the Doctor to make up his mind.

"And security does seem a little lax although breaking the glass would no doubt alert some person."

River grinned. "I have a small laser cutter in my boot, for occasions just such as this. The manipulator is not particularly large. If there were some kind of disturbance I'm sure it might accidentally fall into my reticule without comment."

"And how do I know that you are not the wrong pair of hands, hmm?"

River smiled more broadly then. "Oh sweetie, lots of people think I'm the wrong pair of hands. Perhaps if I were to create the diversion, you could appropriate the device and meet me back at the Western Refreshment court?"

"What kind of diversion did you have in mind?"

River pulled an elaborate perfume atomiser from her bag. "Knock out gas sweetie. I never leave home without it. I'm sure, in all this heat, women must be fainting en masse."

"There's actually a very clever air circulation system..."

"Doctor!" she said warningly.

"Oh I see, hmm, well, it's little unsubtle but I suppose in the circumstances needs must."

"Good lad!" River patted his arm indulgently, handed him the laser cutter, and wandered off into the crowd. 

Moments later there was a cry of alarm and the sound of someone shouting, "Ann!" moments later a cry of "Mary!" was added to the hubbub.

The crowd began to move, people drawn to the cries anxious to see what was happening. The Doctor glanced around surreptitiously. Noting that attention was all now firmly fixed elsewhere he quickly switched on River's laser cutter and made a small hole in the glass case. The Neutron Manipulator sat at the back, surrounded by various electro-magnetic curiosities. The Doctor attempted to reach in but it was too far back. He pulled out his hand, paused for a moment in thought, and then reversed his walking stick and pushed it through the hole in the glass. He neatly hooked the Neutron Manipulator, pulled it out and tucked it under into an inner pocket of his coat. 

"Oi! What are you doing!"

It seemed the Doctor had underestimated the diligence of the Exhibition staff. A young man in slightly decorative livery was frowning and pointing at him. The Doctor glanced around in desperation. Spotting a gap in the crowd, he set off at a run, hoping the man would not draw too much attention.

"Oi!" the man shouted again. 

The Doctor was sure he was following him. He risked a glance over his shoulder as he headed for the stairs, just in time to see River, appearing as if from nowhere to block the staff member's path. He didn't pause to see what happened next but headed rapidly down the stairs. Behind him he heard crashing sounds, and then River's voice speaking in apologetic tones.

* * *

"Tea Doctor?"

The Doctor had paused for breath amid the tables in the Western Refreshment Court and was frankly amazed to see River sitting at the table next to him, looking completely fresh, not a hair in her elaborate style out of place. She had set out two delicate cups and was pouring tea into them.

The Doctor wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and gratefully sat down.

"My, my, that was more excitement than an old man can handle."

River tutted. "You are a spring chicken sweetie. You can manage more than that. Admit it! You had fun."

"Well it was certainly exhilarating," he conceded. "Yes, yes, definitely exhilarating." Then he chuckled quietly to himself. 

River sipped her tea and smiled at him over the rim of her cup.

"Most invigorating, I confess I seem to be getting used to such escapades," the Doctor mused to himself.

River's smile faltered a little and she reached out a hand to touch his. "Don't overdo it Doctor. It can't always be such fun."

He patted her hand gently. "Don't worry about me, my dear. I've been around the block a few times, oh yes."

He picked up his tea and raised the china cup to her. "And this is most welcome, thank you my dear. Hmm."

His eyes closed slightly as he savoured the drink.

"I just," River began and then bit her lip. "There's no point telling you to be careful is there."

The Doctor smiled gently as he put down his cup. "When you are as old as I am, young lady, there is little left to fear," he nodded benignly and sagely.

"Oh Doctor!" River said, a note of deep sadness in her voice, but despite his efforts he could not draw her further on the subject and she insisted instead on resolutely discussing the dating of Armelian artefacts, such as the Neutron Manipulator, based on extent to which the design revealed an obsession with filigree and gold.

* * *

They were still there half an hour later, arguing about the influence of the lesser Antarean song-cycles on Arcturan epic myth when Barbara Wright found them.

"Hello! I see you've got company!" Barbara remarked smiling at River. "Susan and Ian will be along in a minute."

"Oh yes! This is River Song, she's been remarkably helpful though she's completely wrong about Arcturan pre-caractic pottery."

River shook Barbara's hand cautiously and glanced sternly at the Doctor. "I spent an entire summer digging up pre-caractic Arcturan pottery Doctor, so I think I know my subject."

Barbara smiled indulgently. "Don't let the Doctor get to you, he's just teasing."

"Oh, I know. However, now your friend has arrived, I really must go."

River pulled out a small mirror and checked her make-up, applying just a touch of lipstick. Apparently, satisfied, she stood.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Doctor."

She smiled in charmed surprise when the Doctor stood as well. He held out his hand to shake hers. "The pleasure was all mine and you were most helpful over the Neutron Manipulator."

"It's always a pleasure sweetie," River lightly dodged the hand and clasping the Doctor's face she kissed him firmly on the lips.

He went limp in her arms and she lowered him carefully into his seat.

"Doctor! What have you done to him?" Barbara demanded indignantly, catching hold of River's sleeve.

"Nothing alarming, a mild amnesia-inducing sedative. It wouldn't do for him to recall our little adventure this afternoon. Too many spoilers."

"What's a spoiler?"

River smiled sadly and patted Barbara's hand as she disengaged herself from the other woman. "The weight of the future catching up with us. I'd say look after him but he doesn't really need it, not yet."

**Author's Note:**

> Tried to find a beta. Failed miserably. Hope it passes muster anyway.


End file.
